Rarest Kind of Best

In honour of the First Day of School this week, here are some great books about life in the classroom.

1. Miss Nelson is Missing!, by Harry Allard – Age: 4 +

A very funny story about the most feared substitute teacher ever – Miss Viola Swamp! Sequels include Miss Nelson is Back, and Miss Nelson Has a Field Day. (This title on amazon.)

2. Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, by Kevin Henkes – Age: 5 +

Lilly has a dispute with her adored teacher over a distracting plastic purse. (This title on amazon.)

3. Ramona the Pest, by Beverly Cleary – chapter book – Age: 5 +

A chapter book about a rambunctious girl’s first adventures and misadventures in kindergarten. (This title on amazon.)

4. Math Curse, by Lane Smith – picture book – Age: 5 +

By the author and illustrator who brought you The Stinky Cheese Man, this is all about math anxiety, or seeing the world as an endless series of perplexing number problems. As a picture book, it would certainly entertain the kindergarten crowd, but older kids will ‘get’ more of the math concepts and jokes. (This title on amazon.)

5. Matilda, by Roald Dahl – chapter book – Age: 6 +

Precocious reader Matilda starts school and helps her favourite teacher battle the villainous principal. A darker tale of school life, with truly despicable adults and some violent scenes. In other words, typical Dahl. (This title on amazon.)